Opinion

I was recently astounded and disturbed when I received a mailer opposing Measure Q that proclaimed local Democrats opposed Measure Q. It called Measure Q a “privileged power grab” and made other groundless statements related to Latinos and farmers.  Firstly, the initiative process has been...

PORC has used questionable campaign tactics before, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to local voters that PORC is skirting state campaign finance laws to pass their deceptive Measure Q. I want to know, who's really behind all their outside money? It is a...

We’ve been receiving lots of mailers against Measure Q that contain incorrect statements of its fiscal impact for San Benito County. The local Democratic Party says it would cause the county to lose $6.56 million annually “through 2035;” the No on Q campaign claims...

Measure Q gives San Benito voters the power to stop outside developers from ruining your county. I’ve seen many rural counties get run over by developers who convince local government officials to change their zoning: The developers come in, build, sell and take their...

Somebody is not telling the truth? I am sure that almost everyone who lives in Hollister noticed that over last weekend beginning on Sept. 29 and going through Tuesday Oct. 4, gas prices went up on average 35 cents and as much as $1...

Measure R is an attempt to fool the voters by hidden outside developers and their local spokesperson, Frank Barragan. Mr. Barragan and his Measure R group would have you believe that Measure R is about safety surrounding the TriCal facility, which has operated for...

Support democracy with your vote The argument against Measure Q that bothers me the most is something I have heard from people I know and love and respect. They say they don’t trust the voters to make good decisions.  The first time I heard it I...

Two photos in your paper have captured my imagination. My thoughts have linked them in this fashion. The first photo colored the Sept. 23-29 front page; the second cartooned the opinion page of Sept. 30. The first featured young men costumed as Civil War...

Measure Q will be devastating to San Benito County, with huge negative impacts that will last for years, as Q’s restrictions would go until 2050. Why? Let’s look at some basic county facts and the consequences of Measure Q: Revenue: We are a very poor...

If you’re wondering about Measure P on the November ballot and why you’re not seeing organized campaigns, it’s because this proposal to implement term limits for San Benito County supervisors should largely sell itself. I’m here to reinforce why—as a sitting supervisor—I personally support term...